As you all know by now (or should) crazy things are going down here on the ICRISAT campus, Patancheru, India. Today I woke up - had my delectable b-fast of papaya, mmmm. delicious ripe mango, double mmmm. and even part of a banana/chapati roll-up. Wow. Big breakfast. I was very full. (It was like my subconscious mind knew I was stocking up before I even did!) I woke up extra early also so I was able to have nice long talk with Mom and Dad. (This all fits in perfectly to the plan later on. . . .)
I headed to work, wanting to be punctual, of course, with hopes to maybe meet my mentor today. I had to wait for the door to be opened for my office, but that was ok - I felt pleased I was there early. I began the day but barely got too far into any work (I was just working on final report) when my friend came into the room. She is great and doesn't mince any words. She says, "Hi. So, you are leaving for the village tomorrow morning from here and I am coming with." Of course, a mixture of emotions courses through ones veins at a time like this and I tried to find out the scoop. I had planned to leave next Monday and return late Saturday night, but this was all out the window now. (This was, like all things in life, both good and bad.) Now, thinking of it, I am so happy and I have no idea what I would have even done otherwise. It could not have worked out any better. This is precisely the time I said I wanted to go on my visit in the first place. I said, and I quote, "early to mid next week," in my last week report. Soooo, then I thought it wasn't going to happen and I resorted to a pushed back date. Now, I am right back on track. Pretty sweet, huh?!? Ok, so I must start at the beginning, this is quite the big day.
The man who lived in the village I am going to for 30 yrs. is currently on a trip. He works for ICRISAT now in the research field, but still maintains great connections with the village. He needs to go with me to get me in good with the people and ensure I get good results and data. He knows the people and village like the back of his hand. Once again, he is on a trip. I was told he would return from Delhi on Thursday and we would then plan my trip. (This is why I pushed back the date in the first place.) However, turns out, he was not planning to come back Thursday at all, but planning to leave from Delhi to a different destination he needs to go to. (He is on leave from work.)
If he would have done this though, I could not go next week with him either. Then I would be absolutely sunk without enough time whatsoever for me to analyze and prepare reports on the data I receive. So, at this point, my mentor comes into the picture. I met her today and she is wonderful. So kind, smart, and very good. I am so pleased to be working under her - I can learn a lot. She heads the whole Climate Change team. She went home on leave to visit family and while there, her father fell ill, then passed away and she - being the oldest child - was responsible for conducting all funeral service arrangements. What a shock she has had. She is still on leave from work, but came back early b/c of the things that need to be dealt with. (I am almost 50% completed with my internship, for example.) - And I am sure a lot of more important things also!
Anyway, so she was great and very helpful and told me there was one dimension she would like to add to my project. I was very interested and excited to hear b/c I liked her already. She wants me to have more of a forward approach and add in a futuristic element to my study. I was liking the sounds of this. She talked of how when her sons were in college (in U.S.) there were grant opportunities for international research and travel for the whole summer months. She said, so you could travel to a different country, maybe India, and if you returned to ICRISAT, continue with this project because a few weeks - a few months - is just enough to give you the basis of what the issues are with literature review. I agreed and was so happy and flattered she was saying this during our first meet.
So, what this futuristic theme or element/idea is actually something that ICRISAT is working on now - she said an issue of top priority. I will be conducting everything in my study as I have planned, all the while keeping in mind that there is a possibility for further growth. This growth is that in the future, let's say that ICRISAT will be approved to give a $10,000 grant to my village. (This is a loooot of money here and could create so many opportunities for a small village.) What I need to do now is preliminary work to see what institutions are best suited to handle money and a project of that magnitude. Would the local government be the best hands for the cash, or the self-help group, or the other formal/informal institutions? I need to find out what governance processes are working smoothly and efficiently and which have the trutst of the farmers. When giving such a large sum, you want to give support to an institution that the farmers know and trust.
After money is given, as my mentor said, there is no more shoulda, coulda, woulda's (She used other terminology of course!). The money is out of your hands and if given to a reputable organization, can and will be implemented properly and successfully, or obviously the opposite is also possible.
So, for my topic, a very important, sometimes touchy topic of governance, I need the man there with me who is on a trip now. So, my mentor called him and is having him fly home, which he was not planning to do, accompany me and introduce me to the village, which he wasn't going to do, and then fly out from here to his next destination. It is absolutely crazy that all of this has happened in the blink of an eye. So, in our meeting, she asked me if I would be ready or able to go on my village visit earlier than expected. By this time, I had already heard the plan, so I was prepared and said, "Yes." Then I heard the famous words again: tom-or-row!!! morning I would leave.
This afternoon was mad as I prepared what I thought I would have five days to prepare in just one. I got all of my materials - which is a long process b/c the security is so tight, every piece of property taken (owned by ICRISAT) must be checked in and out here. This was a long process, but I think I have all I need now. Cassette tapes, tape recorder, batteries (they call them "cells" in other countries more frequently), markers, and chart papers for my focus group discussions. I also needed to take care of all details with my money for food-purchasing out in the great abyss of India. I got all this taken care of and said some farewells to work friends.
I left half an hour early to get a start on the packing that desperately needs to be done! So, then this evening, it was going to be my last night with my friend Anubha. She leaves on Saturday and I will miss her going away pizza and mulit-cultural dance party! We hugged and hugged and said farewells after supper and I feel like I will see her again. We have a special connection, I was so happy to meet her and get to spend time with her. She is a truly beautiful and inspiring young woman. In two years she is planning to try to do a masters in the U.S. and Cornell University is one of her top picks, so that would not be too far from me at all. . . :)
Then, I continued to pack, pack, pack :) Claire and Christen came to my room and gave me some company as I packed and that was fun. I packed up allllll the food I am bringing - lots of bananas I brought from that lunchroom today, and lottttts of chapatis. It was a miracle - just today, they had chapatis for both lunch and supper. That. never. happens. EVER. Just the day before I am leaving for a trip and need it to happen. Supper was also wonderful. Delicious. Large. And great. I got some bottled water also and began to get into the mindset of "Go bottled, or go home!" when it comes to water anyway.
I am excited and a little in disbelief. I think the 12 hr. car ride will help me realize that, yes, this is a reality. We are not just riding 12 hrs. for kicks. This will be great - quite the experience. I will delete photos in my camera on the way. That will occupy some time. I will read books that I have not had a chance to. I will sleep - because I am not right now :) and I will prepare for my data collection and social and cultural exursion.
So anyway, I am going, the "traveling man" is coming to conduct all of our community meetings and introduce me to the village, my friend, Rupsha, is coming (kind of as a female companion and helper for me I think), and another friend in the office, Byjesh. (Byjesh and Rupsha were both at BbQ Nation that one night. . . .) Also, ICRISAT driver and SUV vehicle. So, that is the status update and it is now official - it is way past my bedtime! Lisa (a.k.a. international mom w/ the WFP) just told me in an email after I wrote back to her, to: "TO GO TO SLEEP YOUNG LADY!" So, I guess I better listen! Darn that world clock she keeps at her side!
Love, peace, and blessings to all, and to all a good night.
I will return to the blogging world upon my earliest availability.
(For sure, I should be back mid-next week.)
So long, my blog fans, so long.
Leah
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